(NOTE THIS PAPER WAS WRITTEN BEFORE DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDERS WERE AVAILABLE IN THE DOMESTIC MARKET.)

TECHNIQUE: In the simplest visible mode, a QUICKSCANŽ service provider assembles any combination of stillframe and running
video, much like a videodisc master tape. During an editing process, unique indexing information is applied, usually at the
bottom and top of the screen. Typically this will consist of Name [of publication], Date [of publication], and QUICKSCANŽ
Page number. The top strip is available for chapter headings, and menus or index pages are inserted as described earlier.

Note, however, that the page number relates the contents of the page, not simply to the videotape frame or videodisc
track. Thus, in an optimum system, a stillframe/page exists in the system for one field or frame, and relies on highly precise
capture and display hardware. In a more forgiving system, the page exists for multiple frames, say from three to 25 or 30
frame (one second). By trading off efficiency in this fashion, many more VCRs can access a specific page by number. In the
most universal case, running video and pseudo-stillframes of five seconds or longer duration are indexed, so that virtually
any VCR can locate segments of interest.

This master tape is then duplicated or transmitted via TV, cable or DBS
to the intended audience, possibly during overnight dark hours or on under-utilized satellite or cable channels. The users
capture the electronic publication on their VCRs, and play it back at a time and pace of their choosing.

In computer
terms it is downloading or batch delivery, as opposed to an on-line system. Thus, millions of users can access their locally
taped material at the same time, without congesting a system or experiencing delays in response, caused by a shortage of lines
or ports.

CAPACITY: The information storage capacity of video, when used as electronic microfilm, is amazing.
For example, in PAL, experience indicates that +800 alphanumeric characters can be display per screen. Transmitted at 1500
frames per minute, this means that 1.2 million characters can be stored in a minute's worth of videotape. Alternatively,
1500 color photos of reasonable quality, or a mixture of text and picture can be substituted. Of course, sound and motion
segments take realtime amounts of tape.

Thus, a complete still-frame newspaper or catalogue could be downloaded
within a television commercial. With typical fast-forward speeds of x10, the worst-case access time is six seconds per minute
of tape. For many uses, this compares favorably with on-line performance when keyboarding, response and display writing times
are included, especially for photographic quality images.

Observers may question the need to scroll through a tape
to find desired information. In fact, this is exactly the browsability lacking in systems based on precise go-to functions.
An advertiser wants accidental exposure to his message, just as in print media or commercial TV. So, QUICKSCANŽ restores
the familiar advertisement/editorial relationship, and permits sponsored services, delivered free to the user.

In
NTSC, lower resolution changes some parameters, but the capacity per minute remains about the same. Because redundancy is
at the pixel level, no error detection system is required.

APPLICATIONS: The list overlaps many of those targeted
by other electronic media. However, because there is already a critical mass of VCRs in public hands, and because closed
user groups can be equipped with optimum devices off-the-shelf, QUICKSCANŽ has advantages for uses which require timely delivery
to many users, but do not involve inputting, or manipulation of remote information.

QUICKSCANŽ can also store very large, less volatile, mainly text databases such as encyclopedias,
abstracts and other videodisc or compact disc type products. (Each hour of tape equals 90,000 photos, or 72 million characters.)
The competitive advantages are different in these cases.